Colgate-Palmolive Settles Another Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuit

Colgate-Palmolive has reached another settlement in a case involving the company’s iconic Cashmere Bouquet baby powder products. This time, the case involves a 67-year-old man who alleged that talc-based powders marketed by Colgate-Palmolive, and its predecessor company Mennen, were tainted with asbestos and caused his mesothelioma. In his claim, the victim said that the companies did not give adequate warning (within the product information) about the use of dangerous ingredients such as asbestos, stating that his mesothelioma was due to exposure to the mineral.

Although Colgate-Palmolive continues to deny the allegations, arguing that the company’s products never contained asbestos, so there was no reliable evidence to link the exposure to the plaintiff’s cancer, just before the lawsuit was set to go to trial in California Superior Court in Los Angeles, CP settled for an undisclosed amount.

In late 2017, Colgate-Palmolive agreed to settle another talcum powder-mesothelioma lawsuit in a confidential settlement. The agreement allowed the company to avoid going to trial in New Jersey Superior Court. And in 2015, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury ordered the company to pay a hefty $13 million to another plaintiff who developed mesothelioma after using the company’s talc-based powders.

Colgate-Palmolive isn’t the only company being sued for causing a cancer in plaintiffs across the country. Between February 2015 and today, around half a dozen talcum powder-ovarian cancer cases have yielded multi-million dollar verdicts against pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods giant Johnson & Johnson. Damages in those cases range from $55 million to $417 million.

About Talcum Powder and Cancer

In its natural form, some talc contains asbestos, a substance known to cause mesothelioma and other cancers in and around the lungs when inhaled. Studies have also shown that when applied to the skin, talc may also cause other cancers such as ovarian and uterine cancer. According to a report by CNN, deposits of talc are often located near deposits of the minerals that constitute asbestos, and studies have also shown the risk of cross-contamination during mining.

Although cornstarch is often cited as a safer alternative to talc, companies continue to use the soft mineral in products. If you are concerned about the risks of using talc, the American Cancer Society says that until more information is available, you may want to avoid or limit your use of consumer products that contain it.

If you have been exposed to asbestos, see your doctor right away. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, early detection could lead to better treatment options and outcomes.